Oh, no! Is Easter doomed? Bunny is expected to bring his homemade chocolate eggs to the Easter parade, but he can't find them anywhere. Not under the bed, not in the carrot storage room... Bunny is at his wit's end. "I've really had enough," he sniffs, "of this Easter hide-and-seek!" In the sunny meadow all the lambs and chicks and bunnies are eagerly awaiting the start of the festivities, if only Bunny would show up with his all-important chocolate treats.
Young readers can help save the day by lifting flaps, turning wheels, and sliding tabs to move Bunny and his friends across the pages. Jacqueline McQuade's spring-fresh illustrations include tons of rabbity details: radishes on the shelves, portraits of carrots and lettuce on the wall, and a bedspread made of leaves, while her clever paper engineering will delight readers no end, as they assist Bunny in pushing the hamper of eggs out the door, or help his mouse pal hand him a handkerchief. The rhyming text is forced and occasionally awkward, especially the transition point when Bunny realizes where he hid the eggs, but youngsters will be too busy to notice. (Baby to preschool) --Emilie Coulter